Chilly bottom

 

Parky out. Gone is the soaked forest all soggy underfoot, gone are the waterlogged paths and puddles; well, not gone, more transformed. Overnight the temperature dropped significantly and we arrived this morning to find the forest dusted in white frost, the ground hard under foot, and the paths traversing Clay Hill Bottom no longer a series of narrow streams now turned into treacherous tracks of icy glass requiring a jazz hands walking stance. Quite the transformation.  

Gorse burning

 

Continuing my regular theme of the curated forest; another vital yearly maintenance activity is burning the gorse (Ulex). Around the forest gorse and heather are burnt ostensibly to generate new growth that'll benefit conservation projects, and to reduce the risks of wild fires; but also to keep in check colonisation by gorse, which would become invasive if left to their own devices. 

Oh deer

I mentioned only yesterday what a harsh and unforgiving environment our beautiful and peaceful forest can be. Walking round the other side of Clay Hill Bottom this morning I came across evidence of it. A deer skull and bone, from a young deer I reckon, the rest of the remains long ago scattered. If you take your own path across the land, you'll often come across the remains of forest inhabitants who'd come to the end of their journey, or just didn't make through. In fact I came across another body through Clay Hill Bottom, that of a pony, I haven't posted that picture, it was still a bit soft tissuey. That said, I have thought about doing a photo post on the topic of death in the forest, we'll see.

Clay Hill Bottom

I was out in the forest early this morning, wandering through Clay Hill Bottom.  A dusting of very light snow covered the heathland, any exposed water had a solid crust and a piercing wind scoured the undulating landscape. Although the ponies looked unmoved as they stood in defiance of the elements, though this can be a harsh and unforgiving environment, and they do well to survive unaided. Man, it was cold, bloody cold.

Tenacious tree

Tenacious or plain cheeky? Or is it just one tree helping out another? This Holly sapling has taken advantage and made a home high up in the this damaged Scots Pine's bough.You've got to admire natures adaptability and determination to survive.

Clay Hill Bottom

At the moment over night damp and frost are battling for dominance and when the sun rises you see the victor. It's like a civil war within the element of water between the liquids and the solids. This morning the solids (with the help of Jack Frost) won, the liquids captivated by Jack's crystal embrace. 

Clay Hill Bottom